The Dark One's Demoness
by shyangel101
Summary: When your father is the dark one life is going to be hard for you. 17 year old Amara Gold lives everyday with people thinking she's a monster and wonders if they're right. When Emma Swan comes to town and changes everything, plus the search for her half brother begins, Amara will be put to the test to find out who she is and what truly makes a demon. Starts in season 1.
1. Chapter 1

The Dark one's demoness.

_**I am here with my first (hopefully) big once upon a time fanfic and thank you all for stopping by to read. This is a story of Rumple's adopted daughter the dubbed "Demoness" by everyone in her past life and this one. This starts right in season one I don't plan on making any big changes to the canon **_**until**_** I get to season 3. Now I invite you to sit back, relax and enjoy! **_

"_What truly makes a monster? Is it the way they look, their actions or simply what other's think of them? Evil doesn't have a root I believe people are just molded to be what they are….." _

Amara Gold sighed and put the book down on the polished desk she was sitting at. The girl didn't go the public school like everyone else in Storybrooke, but instead was home schooled. Having the richest man in Maine as your father did have its perks after all. One of the assignments she had to have completed soon was questions on a philosophy book about evil and its nature. The book tackled interviews, excerpts from books and many other references she was too bored to care about. The subject of evil didn't seem that complicated to her: there were those who did bad things just to do them and then there were those who did them to either help other or were jaded enough to become that way. Every book she had read tackled the subject in a simplistic manner though, making her wonder if anyone saw the world the way she did. Either way it was an incredibly ridiculous assignment her father would have to grade for her. Just then the shop bell rang and someone walked in, which was unusual because most people never entered the shop due to fear of her father . . . except for two people. One of those two people were here now.

"Hello, Madame Mayor," Amara said in her low teasing voice, never looking up from her book. Regina Mills, who looked distraught to say the least, (Amara liked seeing her flustered and not in control like she always was) and glared at the girl.

"Amara, put that book down." The teenager obliged

"What can I do for you?" she asked.

The Mayor sighed. "Henry's gone missing" she said bitterly.

"Has he now? I don't have knowledge to his whereabouts if that's what your implying Miss Mills. I haven't seen your son since last night when I was on babysitting duty."

"Well who else could know where he is? He barely has contact with any other humans except for you, though it doesn't say much for his taste in company. You'd be the first person he'd tell if he ran away."

Amara smirked at the insult instead of being abashed by it. "Maybe he went to go find his birthmother and she'll take him away from you!" Amara recalled when Regina first adopted Henry she came running into the shop like a madwoman afraid Henry's birthmother would be her demise as if she and her father had anything to do with that.

Now the Mayor had an angry flare about her. "Do not test me, young lady. If I find out that you've been helping my son sneak out and go into harm's way . . ." She was dangerously close to strangling the impudent child . . .

"Ah Regina what a pleasant surprise." Mr. Gold's voice entered the room as he came down form the upstairs storage space. "I assure you Mari had nothing to do with your son's disappearance. She doesn't let her business affairs mix with personal interactions"

This got Regina out of her violent stupor and she turned to the middle aged man. "Ha! Like father, like daughter I suppose." Regina turned back to Amara. "Oh and _Mari_."She said the girl's pet name with sarcastic venom. "I better see you over my house in an hour to be questioned by Sheriff Graham."

She left the shop with dramatic flair causing the young girl to roll her eyes. "Does that woman know the definition of the word subtlety?"

Her father laughed. "No, princess. I don't think she ever did."

The girl got up and stretched. "Father, I think I'll let you run the shop. I'll get to that assignment later," she said reaching on a coat jack for her black jacket and parasol.

She may not be "stylish "per say but she sure did leave a lasting impression on people . . . which was to make them fear her.

"I understand. Just don't be home late."

"I won't." Amara picked up her black parasol from the counter and started walking to the most feared place in town besides anything her family owned: the Mayor's mansion.

Amara's POV:

There are some things, where no matter how beautiful they are, the sense of how unwanted you are can't be ignored. The Mayor's mansions and the Mayor herself were like that.

Sitting in the living room I flipped through a book Regina had lying around pretending to read it as I eavesdropped on the conversation Regina was having with Graham in her office.

After realizing I had no idea where Henry was the sheriff stopped asking me idiotic questions but Regina wasn't entirely convinced.

"The girl doesn't know anything Regina just let her go home."

"Oh please she has to know something! Henry doesn't have friends and would tell her where he was going."

Rolling my eyes I realized it was dark outside and glanced at the grandfather clock which read 11:00.

Just where was this boy? Didn't he know it was well past his bedtime and we were both going to get in a lot of trouble?

Despite not being a people person by any stretch of the imagination, Henry and I had formed a strange bond since I started babysitting him.

Regina also wasn't wrong, necessarily, to accuse me. Henry did confide in me about everything. His latest obsession being this book of fairy tales he got from his teacher Mary Margaret Blanchard.

I hope he didn't try and pull anything insane to try and make us all believe in it. If he ever got hurt . . .

Just then a car's lights shone outside from the blinds on the window and I heard the rumbling of a car. I glanced outside the window just in time to see Henry pop out of an extremely tacky yellow bug.

When I stepped outside, Henry ran to me embracing me in a hug like no one else did.

"Hey, Marshmallow!" He smiled, tightening the hug while giving me those big brown puppy dog eyes.

"Don't try and act cute, Henry, it won't work," I scolded. "Do you realize I spent the past four hours being interrogated by your mom and . . ." I was about to say _not so secret lover_ but stopped. "The sheriff? Where the hell have you been?"

"In Boston," he replied smoothly, as though it weren't such a big deal.

"Boston? Oh they'll have to cut down a million trees to provide the whippings your mom's going to give you . . . and me." I bent down and cupped his chin in my hand. "Why were you all the way in Boston?"

"To find my birth mother and bring her back here."

I just then realized there was a young, blonde-haired woman standing outside the bug. She was wearing a red sports jacket that was tackier than her transportation.

Henry's birthmother was here outside the mayor's house and had been the reason he'd been gone all day.

A smirk crept onto my face. "Henry wait outside with Miss . . .?"

"Emma, Emma Swan," she answered, a bit taken aback.

"Miss Swan. I'll go get your mother. I want her to see this image just as it is."

I don't usually waste the energy to run but this was just too rich to miss a second of.

I knocked on the door to the still closed study.

"_Oh Regina! There's a surprise outside for you!" _ I sang.

Third person POV:

"You gave your mother quite the scare Henry," Amara said taking at seat on the side of Henry's bed. The boy had already changed his into pajamas and was lying under the covers.

"You weren't worried or anything, were you?" Henry asked, looking surprised at the concept.

The baby sitter rolled her eyes. "I was just as worried as your mother. Not as openly perhaps, but I was. Now I'm going to go. I'm sure you'll get a lecture form your mother about how irresponsible you were in due time so I'll spare you it."

Henry laughed. "You're right. But you did give me a good talking to when you first saw me."

Amara decided to get to what she really wanted to know

"How did you locate her anyway? I thought your adoption was closed and the records were sealed."

"I used my teacher's credit card and found out where she lived then hopped a bus to Boston."

"I still can't believe you had the nerve to do it! What was her name again?"

"Emma Swan."

"That's a lovely name." Amara gave him a light smile not sure why but the name this time gave her a wave of nostalgia.

"Well I better get going. My father will want me back by now." As she was about to leave the room, a meek voice asked,

"Mari?" Amara stopped dead in her tracks and turned to the boy with that rare expression of fondness that she got whenever he used her pet name. "Yes?"

"Do you think she'll want me . . . Emma? I really like her. "

She sighed. "I can't say, Henry. She did come back with you though."

This seemed to appease him. "Okay good. Because I need her to believe in the book."

"I told you, you can't just tell people that we're a bunch of fairy tale characters, Henry. It sounds ludicrous."

"I know you don't believe it but Emma's the savior. She _has_ to eventually right? Do you think she'll save this place and stop my mother?" He said "mother" with distaste.

Well what was she supposed to say to _that?_

Amara closed her eyes and took a deep breath before reopening them. "I think you should get some sleep, kid." She walked over to the nightstand and shut the light off before giving him a peck on the forehead and leaving the room.

After walking down the staircase, Amara collided with Emma.

"Oh sorry didn't mean to almost knock you over there." Emma laughed, probably intoxicated from Regina's drink.

"Yes well it's quite alright, Miss Swan."

"You can call me Emma."

Amara chuckled at that. "No I prefer Miss Swan for now, I think. I must say it's interesting to finally have a name and face for you."

"Who are you exactly?" Emma asked looking a bit intimidated now.

_Typical first reaction,_ Amara thought.

"I'm Henry's baby sitter, Amara. Now I really must be off. Do be careful drinking Regina's drinks. They pack quite the punch or so I'm told." After walking out the door, the girl poked her head in the doorway again.

"Oh and I hope to see more of you. New visitors are . . . so very rare around here." And with that the teenager was off into the night almost disappearing with the help of her black jacket.

Emma could not remember the last time pleasant advice and a goodbye sounded so cold and malicious.

When she got home, Amara found her father sitting in the living room reading, her work probably. He looked up when she entered however.

"You're home awfully late, how'd it go?"

She shrugged. "Well, I suppose. Henry's back."

"That's good to hear. Where was he anyhow?"

She snickered. "Oh that's the best part. He went all the way to Boston to find his birthmother and she's here in town."

Her father had a strange reaction to this news almost as if he was pleased. "Well that seems good for Henry"

"I suppose so. I wonder how long before Regina tries to run her out of town. She can't possibly be happy with this news."

"No she won't be and won't tolerate her for very long," Mr. Gold agreed.

Amara let out a yawn. "She did looked tough though. Perhaps she'll give our Mayor a run for her money mmph?" she asked sleepily but with a sly smile like a cats.

Her father grinned. "I'm counting on it." he tapped her nose. "You look exhausted, dearie. Run along to bed."

That night Amara couldn't stop thinking of that damned name.

_Emma, Emma Swan. _

The teen also couldn't shake the feeling that this woman was going to change things for them all and her father knew just what that was. One thing was certain though she thought with a smirk as she drifted off to sleep:

Things were about to get interesting.

**A.N. Well that's all for now! I know it's only the first half of episode one and I promise all the chapters aren't going to be two episodes split in half this one just was. In case you're wondering Mari has the same type of curse breaker her father has where it happens if they hear Emma's name but his won't break quite yet. Also I wanted Amara home-schooled because I didn't feel like writing high school antics and since the Storybrooke memories only last 1 season it doesn't matter anyway. She will have a friend her age though you'll see. I hope you enjoyed and see you next update! Reviews are always appreciated and PM me if you have any questions. **

**On a side note thanks to my BETA Dreamer-girl96 your amazing! **


	2. Chapter 2

**Before we begin some shout outs to my first reviewer's: **

** Dreamer-Girl96- Thank you as well dearie XD you're an amazing BETA and you gave me the push I needed to really get started on this anyway do love you girl! 3 **

** TetraGirl- So have I, that's what inspired this. I always imagined he would spoil her rotten if he had a daughter and she'd be a total daddy's girl which Amara for sure is. Lol yeah sometimes I fear if I put Mari and Regina in the same room together they'd have the sass-off to end the entire world. Thanks for the kind review. **

**Grace5231973- Well now you have more and there's more to come! Hope you enjoy this chapter. **

**A.N. ****I'm back again thanks to my first reviewers who I'll list at the end of this chapter. I realized after watching episode one again that the scene where I planned to introduce enchanted forest Amara was actually way before Henry and Emma even got to Storybrooke so sorry about that if the continuity got mixed up a bit. **

_Amara crouched next to the jail cell her father was trapped in. The black cloak covering her body gave her the look of a pale raven rather than a girl. "Do you think they'll be coming father?" she asked with impatience. Her back was killing her, as it had been ever since he had been arrested. _

"_Oh I know they will, dearie. We just have to be patient and everything will go according to our plan," he said gleefully. _

"_We can't exactly call it our plan now, can we? I mean this whole curse is Regina's concoction," the girl reminded him. _

"_It is our plan, Mari. Believe me Regina is just the puppet in this to help get us to the magic less land to find Bae."_

_Amara stiffened at the name. Ever since she was little it had been "Baelfire this" and "Baalfire that". Was it really worth fighting for a son that was ashamed to call him father? She was the loyal child! _

"_I understand, Papa. It will all work out" was the only reply she decided to give. _

_Just then, a guard called, "Rumplestiltskin! Show yourself, we have some questions for you," a guard called out with two hooded figures behind him. _

_ "No you don't," Rumple hissed coming to the front of the cell. _

_ "They do," Amara corrected him, smirking. "Snow White and her Prince what a lovely surprise! I must say it's been to long since we've last seen each other," the girl drawled sarcastically. _

_ "You insult me," Rumple scolded, a wild grin on his face. "Step into the light and take off those ridiculous robes." _

_ "Yes the robe look doesn't suit either of you, you're much too . . ." Amara thought about it taping a finger to her chin. "Charming? To pull off the mysterious look" _

_ The two royals reluctantly lowered their robes, Snow having her eyes fixed on Rumplestiltskin leaving Charming to glare at Amara. _

_ "Why the hell is she allowed down here if there aren't supposed to be any visitors?" he barked at the guard._

_ "She was very . . . persuasive when we told her she had to leave her father, so we decided to let her stay by his side." To tell the truth, Amara scared him just as much, if not more, than her father with those eyes of hers. _

"_Then maybe we should just lock her up as well. I don't trust her she's just as sick as the man who raised her." David walked over and grabbed Amara by the wrists pulling her up from the ground which only made the girl laugh._

"_My, my my, what a greeting for a young lady . . . how are you, Charming?" She pulled away from him revealing her face lightly spotted with freckles and long, silky black hair. Standing, she was about five foot tall, though that hardly did anything to diminish the intimidating look to her._

_ The most perplexing thing about Amara though was her eyes. They were a fierce, piercing blue, like two orbs. They seemed to stare into the soul of everyone who met her and if looks could kill, her glare certainly would. _

_ "Perhaps we should get to the point of our visit," Snow spoke up finally, giving her husband a significant look. _

_ "YES, YES WE KNOW WHY YOU'RE HERE!" Rumple shouted then lowered his voice into a whisper. "You want to know about the queen's threat." _

_ "Tell us what you know!" Snow barked back obviously trying to be as intimidating as Rumple._

_ "Add 'being threatening' to the list of things that doesn't suit you, Princess," Amara mumbled to which no one replied._

_ "You two are so tense, but fear not. I can ease your mind," Rumple said raising his hand in the air with dramatic flourish. "But it's going to cost you something in return" _

_ "No!" Charming tried to grab his wife to leave but Snow only drew closer to Rumple in the cage_

_ "What do you want?" she asked, fear finally creeping into her voice_

_ "Oh nothing much . . . just the name of your unborn child." Rumple said this conversationally, as if it were the most normal thing to ask for. _

"_Absolutely not! Snow let's get out of here." Charming once again tried to grab her by the wrist but she ignored him, choosing to draw closer to the cage instead. "We have a deal," she stated. _

_ "Hmmph first letting Regina walk free and now this. Sounds to me like Snow has the control in the kingdoms. Perhaps I should respect her more than I do." Amara grinned enjoying every second of Charming's discomfort and glares at her. _

_ "Amara please!" her father snapped at her which made the girl flinch and sit back down obediently._

_ "Guess we know the kids not old enough to say what she wants," Charming chided, obviously enjoying the tables being turned against her, even slightly. _

_ "1 for five hundred, tight pants," Amara growled. "Don't get too happy."_

"_So what is Regina planning?" Snow pressed. Her eyes drifted from Amara to Charming. "And no more interruptions please." _

"_The queen has made a terrible curse. She plans to put as all in a prison . . . just like me!" Rumple gestured around to his cell/ "All of our prisons will be time fated to suffer for all eternity while the queen celebrates victorious at last!" he declared _

"_No more happy endings," Amara added knowing they were what the true love couple was all about. _

"_What can we do?" Snow asked desperately, fear written all over her face. _

"_We can't do anything, dearie, but your child," Rumple reached for her stomach through the bars. "That thing growing inside your belly will save us all." When he tried to stroke her stomach, Charming drew his sword in an attempt to cut off Rumple's hand._

_ Amara rose from her seat at the edge of the cage, deflecting the blow quickly. "I don't think so, Princey," she hissed. _

_ Rumple, who acted as if nothing had happened, continued with his story "Get the child, who will be a female, to safety and on her28__th__ birthday the child will find you . . . AND THE FINAL BATTLE WILL BEGIN!" Rumple laughed, practically screeching with delight. _

_ "Please, Father, enough with the theatrics you're giving me a migraine." Amara rolled her eyes. _

"_I've heard enough we're leaving." This time Charming was successful in grabbing his wife and leading her out of the cell room . . . well almost. _

"_Hey that's cheating!" Amara yelled placing her hands out in front of her. The simple action caused the Charmings as well as the guard to be frozen in place. _

_ "I believe you promised my father your daughter's first name, now give it." _

_ She unfroze the couple's faces so they could speak but all she got in reply was, _

_ "It's going to be a boy" Charming stuttered through the magic spell. _

_ Amara tutted. "Your darling wife over there knows it's a girl. Now just give us the name and you can be on your way to prepare for the curse." _

_ "Emma," Snow uttered, barely audible as if she was being choked. "Her names Emma."_

_ Amara released the three idiots and grinned sweetly. "See that wasn't so hard now was it? Emma's a lovely name by the way" she giggled as the Charmings left swiftly, leaving the guard stunned on the floor, though not by magic. _

"_I-I thought we had a deal. You could stay as long as you didn't use magic." _

_ Amara pouted. "I am so sorry sir, it won't ever happen again I promise." She gave him a wicked smile. The guard didn't even bother giving a reply, simply leaving as fast as Snow White and her husband, leaving a very satisfied father and daughter alone._

"_He's right. It won't, dearie." _

_Amara back sat down, covering her face with her hood again. "It won't happen again because we won't be in this hellhole for much longer."_

Amara's POV:

My eyes shot open causing me to look at the white ceiling above my bed. I got up, arching my shoulders to get the cramps put of my neck.

_What a weird dream to have. _There was something almost vividly real about it though. No time to dwell on it and I had a schedule on weekdays. I picked him up from school, and if I was feeling generous, I would get him some ice cream and he would tell me all about his day. Recently, he just babbled on about fairy tales for hours.

Today, however, Henry wasn't in sight and he was usually the first one out the door. It seems he had developed an obsession with being where he wasn't supposed to.

I then saw the peculiar sight of Regina storming out of the entrance to the school looking furious. "Regina? Where's . . .?" she didn't even bother to answer, if she even noticed I was there at all.

_Well that was just plain rude. _

She didn't have Henry though, which meant he still may be in the school, or I could get information to know where he was.

Stalking the halls of the elementary school I remembered Henry's classroom was 208 and turned the corner to it when I saw Miss Blanchard talking with a certain blonde wearing a red jacket. "Miss Swan . . . ?" I tried to get her attention but she ran right past me

"Doesn't anybody say hello anymore?" I called out sarcastically.

"Oh, hello, Mari," I turned to see Miss Blanchard, looking pretty distressed.

"What were Miss Swan and Regina doing here?" I asked.

The elementary school teacher smiled. "Emma was just going to find Henry in his special place"

My eyes widened. "His castle! That's right! Why didn't I think of that before?"

Mary Margaret laughed. "I'm sure he wouldn't mind you there with him. I'd go see what's going on."

I was about to leave when I remembered something. "Was it your credit card Henry used to find his birthmother?"

"He took it from me," she admitted. The woman looked as if she were being accused of murder.

"I wouldn't be too hard on yourself," I said, trying to sound reassuring. "It's almost as if this woman was meant to be here, you know?"

"You've been spending too much time with Henry and the book I gave him," was the reply I got.

I shrugged. "Perhaps. I better be off. God knows that boy needs someone to look after him."

And it was off to Henry's castle.

Third person POV:

By the time Amara got to the beach with Henry's stakeout "castle" Emma already had found him and the two seemed to be getting closer.

_Oh Regina will love that, _the teenager thought.

"Hey, Mari! What's up?" Henry waved to her as he and Emma came closer.

"Henry, you know very well "what's up?" I pick you up from school every day. Imagine my surprise to find out you were playing hooky." Amara turned to Emma with a raised eyebrow. "I do think you're having a very negative influence on him."

"Look, kid, I didn't tell him to do anything." Emma looked furious and embarrassed at the thought of influencing Henry, negative or otherwise.

"Relax, Miss Swan. It was a joke." Amara grinned. "I do think we better get him home though. The Mayor is _not_ going to be pleased at this, just a fair warning."

"But I don't want to go home yet!" Henry whined crossing his arms in front of his chest defiantly.

Amara tapped a finger to her chin as if considering something. "How about when I watch you tonight I'll make you pizza pockets and we'll watch your favorite movie together?"

Henry mimicked Amara's faux contemplation chin tap. "Okay," he agreed, grinning.

"Nice negotiating with you," his babysitter laughed as he started walking home ahead of the two women who were straggling not far behind.

"So what is it?" Emma asked.

"You're going to have to be more specific" Amara droned, making sure Henry wasn't going to run off somewhere again.

"You know what. The kid's favorite movie."

"Harry Potter, the first one specifically."

Emma chuckled. "The kid believes in magic coming to the real world so it doesn't surprise me." She glanced curiously at the teen. "What's your favorite movie?"

"Excuse me?" Amara asked, laughing her eyes wide

"You heard me. You are just a kid and you can tell a lot about a person by what they like so what is it?"

Her eyes shifted. "I don't believe I'm obligated to answer that . . ."

"It's Star Wars," Henry yelled, turning the corner to the Mayor's house.

Emma smirked. "Really? Never would have pegged you for a geek."

"I am _not_ a geek!" she insisted weakly. "I just happen to think it holds a lot of value in the history of film and has a great plot."

"It's about a bunch of people flying through space to stop a guy with a respirator voice."

"Are you going to keep asking me about this?" Amara snapped. It seemed to amuse Emma to make the girl feel embarrassed after she was.

"Were here!" Henry announced, groaning as the three approached the white mansion.

Regina who has already standing outside opened her arms for Henry to give her a hug which was not returned. The Mayor grimaced at that. "Mari, make sure he does his homework and knows I'll be talking to him about skipping school later"

"Yes a pleasure to do your bidding," the girl drawled as she pushed past the mayor into the doorway (a bit too forcefully). "Madame Dictator," she muttered under her breath with a smirk.

Amara's POV:

Regina got home early that night. Usually her affair with Graham at his apartment lasted only until 11:00 but it was 9:00 by the time she got back. Apparently she just wanted dinner or they were quicker than normal.

"Is Henry in bed?" she asked putting her coat in the closet and shutting the front door.

"Yes he's fine. But it's rather late I'd like to go."

Regina nodded. "You'll have to watch Henry tomorrow night as well." She sighed. "Unfortunately, I have more business to attend to."

"Gee never realized Graham was such a party animal," I sneered.

Regina's face turned into one of absolute disgust. "You better watch your mouth, kid," she warned, practically hissing. "You're already undermining me with my son!"

"And how is me being there for him instead of spending every night putting my tongue and god knows what else down the sheriff's mouth considered 'Undermining' you?"

"OUT!" Regina screamed looking like she was restraining a punch. "Get out now! I don't want to see your face until tomorrow night."

I smirked leaving the house triumphantly. It was a weird game Regina and I had going. I'd insult her on any basis possible and see how long it would take for her to kick me out. Why she didn't just fire me is simple: She needed someone to watch her son and I was the only one who would do it. Everyone else in town was either terrified of her, weirded out by Henry, and Miss Blanchard spent nights working at the hospital. Not that Regina liked her anyway. Caught between a rock and a hard place, I suppose.

Out of complete random, a jolt went through me that was unexplainable and almost . . . supernatural. The weirdest images and came to my head and I felt my mind being consumed by it. It was incredible, relieving ever single bit of my memories all in a few moments. I stumbled for only a moment, forcing myself to take a deep breath as I continued walking, the memories still flickering through my head until I found myself at the front door of my mansion. I stood there, trying to collect myself.

"Well are you going to go in, dearie?" I heard a voice call and saw my father walking up the driveway with his rent money safely tucked under his arm.

"Right," I mumbled, taking the keys I had out of my pocket and opening the door.

The house I lived in was huge, expensive, lush, and filled with emptiness like another home I knew long ago . . .

"So, Mari, do you feel any different." My father smirked, sitting down on the living room sofa.

I managed to compose myself. "Really, Father?" I snorted. "Stop patronizing me. The spells broken, isn't it?"

"Well for Regina and the two of us it is, dearie. But for everyone else . . . not so much."

I groaned. "Nothing is ever easy for us is it?" I asked jokingly.

"No, I reckon it wouldn't be."

"So how did you break it anyway?" I asked curiously. "By hearing Emma's name?"

My father laughed. "It took me hearing her say her name out loud for the curse to be broken, and since I linked it to you when it broke for me it did for you as well."

"But Regina's had her memories this entire time?"

"Indeed she has." I snickered at that. Oh that's rich, it was probably some kind of sick joke having me as her kid's babysitter and bossing me around, as if she hadn't humiliated me enough already. Well, at least I got to give some of the humiliation right back to her.

"Well now that the Savior's here and we know who we are we can at least we can give her a little push."

"And who are you exactly, my dear daughter?"

"Why I'm Amara Lilian Stilskin," I told him. "And I'm going to help the Savior personally take down that bitch queen."

_The demoness was back. _

**A.N. Dun dun…..dun! Well I'm finally done with all the content for the pilot so we're past that now at least. I won't be doing every episode so don't worry we'll get to the fun stuff in season 2 and 3 soon enough but I want to explore Amara's character a bit before we get there. I'm also probably only going to do season one side stories that involve Rumple or I think she would make a good addition to. Until next time my lovelies. **


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3:

**Back again! I'm glad you're all enjoying the trip down season 1 memory lane because we'll be there for at least 12 chapters I'm trying to cut all of the stuff that doesn't affect Mari and Rumple to much but a lot of Henry centric episodes I'll do because she watches after him all the time. Thanks to all my reviewers and remember if you like the story please review it helps me know people are reading it and what they think. **

Third person POV:

"So how exactly do we plan on breaking the curse" Amara asked pouring herself a cup of coffee from the machine and sitting down at the granite kitchen table. She had been racking her brain all night with how she would get the savoir to believe, Emma being the nihilist she was didn't leave much hope for getting her to believe something as ludicrous as childhood stories were real.

"It' simple dearie we get her to stay in town"

"Which she is, so point one goes to us" Amara sipped her coffee gingerly proud that something was going right.

"Getting her to stay is going to be tricky though, especially with Regina breathing down her neck" her father mused, collecting the cup from her and placing it in the sink.

"You are aware I wasn't that with that, correct?" Rumple just laughed "I was but I believe it's time for you to take Henry to school and possibly gather new information".

Rolling her eyes the teenager grumbled "Please we're breaking a magical curse not the Bond family"

"James Bond never had a back sassing daughter criticize him so no" Rumple joked "Now go or you'll get a lecture from Regina about not getting her son to school on time"

"Well at least in this land she only talks people to death" Amara grinned putting her coat on and exiting the house.

Amara's POV:

I was about to knock on the door to the Mayor's mansion when Henry opened the door before I could Henry threw it open "We have to get away from here!" he shouted running down the street.

_He really needs to stop trying my patience _I thought running after him.

He kept up the chase until we got to Main Street and I grabbed his arm pulling the boy to a stop "Henry you know I hate running" I said trying to catch my breath "Now why did you run out of your home like a madman?"

"It's my mom, I think she suspects something's wrong. Today she was going through my book and started asking me where the missing pages were.

"What do you mean missing…wait" I smiled "You took them out didn't you? Clever boy" I patted his head which puzzled Henry.

"Why the sudden interest in the curse? I thought you didn't even believe in it"

_The boy is perceptive _ I gave him a warm smile "I didn't before yesterday but look" I pointed to the clock which no longer read 8:15 "The clock is working no when it hasn't for years, times moving forward henry there could be no other explanation" . Now if any person other than Henry was told this they would laugh and think I was up to something but being the believer he was I got a smile and "That's great Mari I'm glad your apart of operation Cobra now!"

I scrunched my nose "Why Cobra?" I asked

"It sounds cool plus it'll throw people off" Henry answered as if were obvious.

"Right" I grabbed his hand "Let's get you to school now shall we?"

"Not now" he said "Let's talk to Emma first I want to tell her all about the plan plus give her these" Henry reached into his backpack handing me a pile of paper, pages from the book "I know you don't like me being late but….."

"I don't mind" I smiled. Henry looked shocked "What? You're not going to fight me on this?"

I smiled "Henry" I stated "If we believe this is true then the most important thing is getting the savoir to break the curse. There's nothing you can learn in that school anyhow it's all fabricated".

"Yes!" Henry grabbed my hand "Let's go see Emma she'll probably be at Granny's I know how much you need coffee in the morning anyway" he joked.

**At Granny's diner. **

** "**Are you sure you don't want anything?" I asked Henry munching on my eggs. But the boy was in a world staring at Emma sitting at the counter. She was holding an apple looking like she was about to bite into it (not too smart because those oversized red orbs of death only come from Regina) and reading the Daily Mirror newspaper. From what I could see it was a mug shot from yesterday after she destroyed the town sign and basically was all Sydney Glass had on her at the moment. That must have our queen in a real agitated. "Do you think she'll get my cocoa?" Henry whispered and I smiled as Ruby in all her slutty outfit glory gave her the drink with a hint of cinnamon in it.

Emma walked over to Graham obviously thinking it was for her when I muttered "You go through all the trouble of ordering someone a drink and they don't even give you credit".

Emma whipped her head around "Don't you two have school" she asked

"Mari's home schooled and I was just headed there, walk with us" Henry said graabing her hand and leading her out of the diner.

Walking down the street Henry explained the importance of the books final pages, and why no one here would be able to know who they were if she asked them.

Emma who looked like she couldn't be less interested turned back to the apple in her hand and put it to her lips "I wouldn't if I were you" I commented "Not unless being put under a sleeping spell is your idea time well spent" oh god I could only imagine my father's reaction if the savoir got put under Regina's curse after only one day here.

Emma looked at me curiously "Okay" she threw the apple in the nearest garbage much to Henry's delight "Let's get to school" he smiled "And don't forget to take those pages and read them but don't let my mother catch you!" he ran ahead of us.

Emma laughed looking at the pages "I can't believe that kid sometimes" she mumbled then turned to me "You're not going to chase after him?"

"No" I drawled "He'll only run away again" I noticed her fascination with the pages and smiled

"So you've decided to play along?" I asked.

"How can I _not_? The kid so obviously believes it you can't help but want to".

_That was a good sign _"Who does he think you are?" Emma asked "Oh nobody actually he believes I'm just a minor character in the book". We approached the school "Henry I'll be here to pick you up later, don't run off again!" I called out to him as he passed Mary Margaret Blanchard.

"I have to go Miss Swan" I turned on my heel "Maybe Miss Blanchard wants to talk?" I suggested. Walking down main street I couldn't help but feel proud of myself , if those two were talking then maybe memories would start coming back.

Third person POV:

Amara stood at the elementary school gate as her young client came out to greet her "Mari! We have to help Emma" Henry declared. "What's wrong now?" Amara groaned _why couldn't a grown woman manage to stay out of trouble for a couple of hours? "_Regina stopped by and told us she was put in jail for stealing Henry's files from Archie" a new voice meekly said and saw Snow white standing before me "Miss Blanchard" I nodded my head in greeting "Would it be possible to bail Miss swan out, I could pay if that's an issue" "Oh no I'm more than happy to" Mary smiled. "Well then "the teenager sighed "Let's get to the police station".

**"**So Regina framed you?" Amara Emma as we walked out of the station together "Yeah and this is the second time I've bene locked up for a crappy reason" Emma groaned putting her red jacket on.

I smirked "Interested in a little revenge?" Emma smiled "What'd you have in mind.

Amara smirked "How good are you with a chainsaw Miss Swan?"

Amara's POV:

"I can't believe we're so close to getting Emma to believing!" Henry smiled as we headed up the stairway to Regina's office "We have made progress, I can honestly say though I'm happy to just go home after I drop you off" I chuckled as we turned to the door, voices drifting in the air

"So you're saying you don't believe?" I heard Regina ask

"How can I? The poor kid can't tell the difference between reality and fantasy and it's only getting worse. It's crazy" Emma stated.

"You think I'm crazy?" Henry shouted pushing past me down the stairs and out of the building.

I glared at Regina "Congratulations Madame mayor you've succeed in showing what a cold hearted bitch you can be" I ran out of the building to find Henry crying on the stoop. "Kid" I said wrapping my arm around him "It's nothing to get upset…." "Yes it is!" Henry said through sobs "I don't want to talk to you, just go home you don't care about me anyway".

"What?" I asked cupping his chin in my hand "Henry I've looked after you since you were a baby and I don't regret a second of it".

Henry stopped crying to look at me "Really?" he asked

"Yes!" I gave him a genuine smile "You of all people should know I don't spend time with people I don't like" Henry actually laughed at that "Now come on we'll go to dinner….."

"Oh that won't be necessary" a cold voice cut through, Regina of course. "Mari you can leave us be. After that horrible woman destroyed his self-esteem I want him with me and Dr. Hopper only" . Regina simply grabbed Henry and took him out of my sight.

"What a hardass" I laughed and saw Emma standing next to me "I guess you heard that whole conversation?" I asked her. She nodded "You really care for the kid which Is why I need to know where to apologize…."

"At Dr. Hooper's place when he goes for his session" I replied "Thanks, can you believe his own mother would do something like that?" . I looked the savoir straight in the eye "Regina is a terrible person Miss swan doesn't trust her. She's willing to do anything to ensure her own happiness even at the risk of hurting those close to her"

"I'm sure she's not _that_ cruel" Emma said trying to lighten the situation.

"Oh believe me she is" I said through gritted teeth. Family meant absolutely nothing to that woman.

_Third person pov: _

_ Amara had bene sleeping at the edge of the cell with her cloak covering her body as she slept. Having to finish out her father's deals secretly and punish those who didn't come in on the end of them was always exhausting work. _

_ Regina entered the jail room with a whirl causing Amara to abruptly wake up. "Ooh did I wake the little baby from her nap?" Regina chided laughing "Shut up bitch queen" Amara growled. _

_ Rolling her eyes the queen turned to Rumple who had been watching the scene with obvious amusement "The curse you gave me, it's not working" she stated angrily. "Oh your so worried just like now and her lovely new husband" Rumple giggled. _

_ "They were here?" Regina barked instantly enraged at the mention of her enemy "What did you tell them?" _

_ "The truth" Rumple answered "that nothing can stop the darkness". _

_ Regina looked smug about this "Speaking of which" she drew closer to the cage "I need to know what's going to enact the curse, it hasn't worked for me" _

"_Did you sacrifice a heart like we told you to?" Amara asked impatiently. _

_ "I sacrificed the heart of my most prized steed and that didn't work." _

_ Rumple laughed hysterically "A horse?" he asked patronizingly "This is the curse to end all curse, and you think a horse is going to do?" he grabbed Regina through the bars pressing her face against them so they were nose to nose. "The thing you need is going to be much greater". _

_This piqued Amara's interest, she had no idea what was needed for the curse actually she just knew a heart needed to be sacrificed. _

_ "Tell me what will suffice?" she asked with her lip trembling. _

_ "I'll tell you on one condition" Rumple said in a joking manner "In this life I want a good life for me and my daughter" _

_ "You two will have an estate and be rich I'll make sure of it" Regina replied _

_ "And another thing" Amara smiled getting on the bandwagon "Should we ever ask you for something, you'll have to oblige us so long as we say 'please'" . _

_ Regina looked between the two incredulously as if they were insane "You both realize, should I succeed you tow won't remember any of this?" _

_ "Where's the harm then?" Rumple said grinning "Now you wanted to know what type of heart you needed for the curse to be enacted….."_

_ "Would you just get on with it?" the queen snarled _

_ "You need the heart of the thing you love most" Rumple stated _

_ "The thing I loved most died because of Snow white" Regina hissed. _

_ "Oh is there no one else you truly love?" Rumple chided knowing very well who it was Regina loved now. In fact Regina looked crushed at the realization she would have to kill her father to enatc the curse. _

_ Amara felt a small amount of sympathy for the queen, surely she wouldn't' sacrifice her own father just for…_

_ "I'm willing to go as far as it takes" she said smugly smiling now "See you tow in the new land" she disappeared into the night. _

_ "Hmmph what low life, a cold hearted…" _

_ "Come now dearie we need her to do this so our family can be reunited" _

_ "Yes but it doesn't make her any less terrible of a person. Hell the only reason you're not enacting the curse is because you don't want to make the sacrifice" _

_ "Exactly" was all her father said slipping back into the other side of the cage leaving Amara in the quiet to wonder: Were they really any better than Regina? _

First person POV:

After taking me to eat at Granny's my father and explaining all that had happened throughout the day I smiled when I caught Emma and Henry laughing and walking down the street together.

"I thought you said they were arguing?" I my father asked.

"I suppose after telling her where Henry was they made up" I smiled _Good for you kid. _

"Shall we pay the mayor a visit then to let her know she hasn't won?" I laughed "Oh ,most definitely.

"So day one of savoir babysitting went well I assume?" My father asked as we walked to the mayor's house.

"If by 'well' you mean her getting arrested, Henry hating her, and Regina driving a wedge between all of us then yes it went bloody swell" I hissed.

"Oh come now, it could have gone worse. We can get a little revenge now can't we?" I chuckled darkly as we came into the mayor's front lawn with that sawed up apple tree, compliments of yours truly.

"What a mess" my father commented to Regina who was blowing the ashes off her destroyed apple tree.

"Not for long" she smiled and looked at me "I'd like to apologize to Mari for the way I behaved today it's not your fault Henry's upset"

"Your right it's yours" I stated icily. Regina glared "You'd do well to remember I'm your boss" she turned to my father "What can I do for you Mr. Gold?"

"We were just in the neighborhood, thought we'd pop by" my father circled the tree and I followed "Lovely to see you in such high spirits".

"Well I just rid the town of an unwanted nuisance" Regina said clasping her hand together in triumph.

"Emma Swan, Really?" I asked grabbing an apple from the tree.

"Yes I imagine she's half way to Boston by now. You saw how Henry reacted to her" Regina grinned brilliantly.

"Well I wouldn't bet on that" my father said with a sly smile.

"And why not?" Regina smile was starting to waver. "We just saw her walking down Main Street with Henry, thick as thieves they were. Reminds me a lot of our relationship doesn't it father?" I asked biting into the apple knowing it wasn't poisoned by the smell of it.

"Yes a _real_ parent child relationship it was" he drew closer to Regina as she grew more distressed. "You should have come to me. If Miss Swan is to big of a problem for you I'm more than willing to help you, for a price of course"

"Regina chuckled "I'm not in the business of making deals with your family anymore" she turned away from us back to the tree as if that were more interesting.

"To which deal are you referring we've made _many_ with you" I asked wondering if pushing the limits of "We got our memories back yet" were smart or not.

"You know what deal" she mumbled picking up a basket of apples.

"Oh right the boy I procured for you, Henry" my father said smiling "henry did I ever tell you what a lovely name that was"

"Yes it certainly is, however did you pick it?" I asked with faux contemplation "It was your father's name wasn't it?'.

Regina turned to us with wild animal eyes "You wanted her to come to town didn't you" she looked incredulously between the both of us "Finding Henry wasn't an accident was it?" she became more angry with every question "Who is his mother, this Emma Swan?"

"I'd say judging by your reaction you know exactly who she is" my father stated walking away.

"Well it was lovely to see you again Regina, have a good night. I threw the apple on the ground, bitter disgusting tasting things they were when Regina grew them.

"Wait!" she blocked my path "You're going to tell me what you know young lady, or I can treat you just how I used to…"

I laughed "No Regina I'm not a little girl anymore, which means I'm not afraid of you anymore".

Regina smiled maliciously invading my space "You can pretend all you like but I remember how scared you used to get when I would come over and you were little, it's hilarious to think people are actually afraid of you…."

I glared "Move Regina" when she didn't I smiled "Let her go Madame mayor, please" my father said causing Regina to have a look of horror and anger on her face as she stepped aside letting me pass.

"One day you're not going to have daddy to save you" She called out after me.

"And one day you're not going to have lies to save you" I called back.

"You look pale dearie" my father laughed as we walked home.

I sighed "Don't get me started that woman needs to be taken down a couple of pegs" .

"Who better then you to show her? By the way, did you give Miss Swan my chainsaw to cut that tree down?" He asked amused

I grinned "It's like I said before she needs to be taken down a couple of pegs" that one was for Henry.

I turned my back to see Regina muttering to herself and dropping the basket of apples she picked up.

Another point for us.

**Wow that was a long one! Anyway I'm happy I got it done I know it's been a while since I've updated a bit past my last update length. Either next chapter or the next I'm going to be introducing some new OC's. Please review and see you next time! **


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: _Happy to be back, sorry I'm late (evil queen style) I was on vacation for a while which of course means backed-uped chapters. _

Amara's pov:

'**Coma patient brought back into the world of the living and reunited with his wife...'**

I glanced at the paper that had David Nolan's face on it. Apparently while I was asleep last night Henry went with his mother and grandmother to find his coma-ridden grandfather resurrected.

According to the report he had a "wife" Kathryn and was being looked after. Snorting, I continued reading the article about how happy Kathryn was to have David back.

"I can't wait until they remember who they are and realize how hilariously ironic this all is." I chuckled.

The fact that I had time to read the paper and run this shop for a bit this morning was because Emma was taking Henry to school today, per my acceptance. I figured any bonding time he had with her could lead to the curse being broken . . . Oh yeah and Regina being pissed by it wasn't a bad bonus either. The shop bell rang and the door opened but I didn't raise my eyes from the paper.

"Let me guess. Danielle Boyd?"

"How did you guess it was me?" I heard her ask.

"Because no one else comes out to this shop besides Regina and last time I checked she's trying to avoid this place for a bit." I grinned putting the paper down and saw Danielle with a huge box full of items, probably ones her mother wanted to get rid of.

"To what do we owe this pleasure?" I asked as she laid the box down in front of me. From what I could tell, there were many silver watches and other metal trinkets. Things that certainly belonged in a place such as this.

"Thought I'd drop them by before school, you know?" she answered.

I smiled. Isobel was bleach blonde, rather small for her age, dainty and the type who always seemed like she needed protecting which made her the perfect punching bag for . . .

"Dani ! For god sakes collect the money and get your ass moving! We're going to be late!"

A voice that I shuddered with dread to hear came from outside the shop.

"Coming, Bonnie!" Danielle turned to me. "Can I have the money?" she asked sweetly.

I had already calculated how much it was all worth. "16 dollars," I stated handing her the money and she smiled. "Thanks I better go before . . ."

"Your bitchy sister actually has to come in the contaminated pawn shop and be subjected by our diseases?" I rolled my eyes. "Not that I'm complaining. Another day I don't have to look at her face is a good one, in my opinion."

Dani looked like she was going to say something to defend her older sister's honor when my father came from the storage room.

"Ah Ms. Boyd, always a pleasure. I wanted to ask how, how is Ashley doing?" he asked this with a hidden smirk only we understood.

"Oh she's been doing fine," she replied awkwardly. "I haven't seen her much lately since she quit working for my mother's shop."

"Well I'm very happy to hear that. Give her our best regards, will you?"

Danielle plastered on a smile. "I will." She waved goodbye to me and exited the shop.

"Thank god you're finally done. I don't understand how you can stand that place . . ." was the last muffled thing I heard before the sisters walked down the street.

I turned to my father. "How's her sister doing, really?" I asked with a chuckle.

"She was going to find out we're getting the baby eventually, dearie. I'm sure you'll still have your little friend to play with," he said mockingly.

"I don't have friends remember?" I chided pretending to be interested in the newspaper. I couldn't help but think with a chuckle the first time I met Danielle.

Well that wasn't exactly her name back then . . .

Third person POV:

_ "Father! Are we going out at all today? I swear the boredom may kill me!" a seven year old Amara groaned, causing her father to grimace. The girl had been bothering him as he went over the contracts he would make with the unfortunates who came to him. He glanced up at the girl sitting across from his desk._

"_I'm busy right now dearie," he said trying to keep his patience. "Why don't you just go play with the dolls you got from the girls of that village we went to as a present? That was so generous of them." _

_The little girl snorted, giving her father a look full of so much sass that he raised an eyebrow. _

"_If by 'generous' you mean you forced them to give them to me then yes it was. Besides, I already used a bow and arrow to behead them." _

_ "That's a good girl," Rumple mumbled uncaringly, glancing over a contract. "Then go out and use something else for target practice I suppose." _

_Taking a cue he no longer wanted to be bothered, Amara sighed. "Fine," she grumbled, leaving the room. "I'll just go do whatever!" Amara threw her small hands up in the air dramatically. _

_ Finding "Whatever" to do wasn't as easy as she had hoped. Going down the mountain to a nearby lake was what she eventually decided to do. _

_Despite hating the outdoors, Amara was discouraged from leaving the grounds without her father to watch her but she found that made it all the more reason to do it. _

_ "So this is what nature is like," she droned glancing around her at the lake and the trees. A sight most would fine breathtaking on a gorgeous spring day. "I imagined it would be less . . . boring." _

_The young girl sat down on the grass and laid back. After a few minutes of listening to the calming sounds of the water and the birds, she got a rare smile on her face. Maybe this isn't so bad, she thought. It's actually kind of nice the peace and quiet . . ._

_ "OUT OF THE WAY!" _

_Amara had five seconds to look up before being rammed into by another person who tripped over her landing on her stomach. _

_ So much for peace and quiet. _

"_Oh my I'm so sorry about that, miss!" A small, fragile-seeming girl gasped. "I didn't mean to slam into you like that! My mother always says I have bad coordination all the time, but I don't listen, and that I'm always annoying Drizella and Ana or tripping over Cinderella while she's working. They're my sisters but Cindy's not my real sister though she's my stepsister. Well her name isn't actually Cinderella it's Ella but we all call her Cinderella..." _

_The young girl didn't even seem to need to take a breath as she rambled on and on. _

'_God whatever I did to upset you . . . please make this torment stop.' The other girl thought_

"_It's okay, it's okay. I'm not hurt or anything. Just. Stop. Talking," Amara growled._

_ "Oh gosh I'm sorry. I babble and ramble on all the time, my mother scolds me for that too. Is there anything else I can do?" the girl asked sweetly. _

"_Why yes," Amara hissed in a mock sweet voice. "You can kindly . . . GET THE HELL OFF OF ME!" _

_ The small blonde girl let out a gasp of surprise and got up from Amara's stomach, allowing her to sit up and sigh. "Don't apologize again," she warned, noticing the other girl was about to open her mouth. "It is not becoming to apologize for practically breathing." _

_ When she nodded, Amara questioned, "What on earth were you running from anyhow? You looked like your life was in danger."_

_ "Some boys from my village started picking me earlier."_

_ "Any reason?" _

_ "Well I was buying paint for myself and I opened the can because I love the way it looks . . ." _

_ "You spilled it all over one of them, didn't you?" _

_ "A little." The girl blushed red. _

_ Amara found herself surprisingly laughing. "What's your name?" _

_ "Isobel! But everyone calls me Izzy" _

_ "Amara, but everyone calls me the demoness." She grinned, making for an unsettling look on the seven year old. _

_ "Y-you're the Dark One's daughter?" Isobel asked, shocked. _

_ "Yes, it's an interesting life style. You better get going though before . . ."_

_ "There she is! The little bitch who thinks she can get away from us!" The girls whipped their heads around to see two a group of gangly boys walk up to them. _

_Amara noted one did have a huge red stain on his shirt and that they weren't even close to their age; the boys were at least twelve. What cowards . . . _

_ "And look, she found a little friend to hide behind," the one with the red stain sneered. And indeed Isobel was actually hiding behind Amara to which she rolled her eyes a bit. _

_ "I suggest you cowards get out of here before I do something you'll all really dislike," she hissed. _

"_Oh yeah, who do you think you are? Just because you're near the Dark One's castle doesn't mean you're . . ." The boy stopped, realization flickering in his eyes. The other boys exchanged worried glances. _

_ "The daughter of the Dark One?" Amara said proudly. "Yes, that's exactly who I am." _

_ "I don't give a shit who she is!" one of the other boys shouted. "She's just a privileged, weak, little brat. I bet we could take her!" He suddenly charged at Amara, an cruel grin on his lips. _

_Now, most seven year old girls would be scared out of their wits being attacked by a twelve year old boy. Then again most seven year old girls didn't carry knives in their cloaks wherever they went. _

_ "Wanna run that by me again?" Amara hissed lying on top of and pressing the knife to the boy's throat. "Something about me being weak was it?" she asked with a grin. _

_ "Alright we'll leave the other brat alone, just let me go!" the boy whined and Amara obliged, letting him return to his friends. _

_ "Before you leave, I place a curse on all of you! Rakshanabiarashiantamasbib!" Amara chanted. _

_The boys ran away screaming leaving Amara to have her hands on her hips and a triumphant grin on her face. "And that my dear girl, is how you handle a bully." _

_Izzy gawked at the girl who was her age, yet so much different. "Wow that was incredible! Did you actually use a real spell?" _

_Amara grinned a bit. "Are you joking? That wasn't close to being a real spell! For one thing you don't actually say the name of one."_

"_Oh," Isobel mumbled awkwardly shuffling her feet. "I have to go now, before my mother gets extremely worried."_

_ "Yes, well nice having a 'run in' with you." The two giggled at that before saying goodbye. _

_Amara sat alone, thinking she was finally going to get some peace and quiet when she heard a giggly voice proclaim, "And to think I was worried about your safety. It's the others safety I should be worried about when they're around you." Rumple emerged from a tree with an amused smile on his face. _

"_I thought you were busy," Amara mumbled playing with a piece of grass, ignoring her father. _

"_Oh I was. But when I saw you sneaking off down here I wanted to make sure you didn't get into trouble. I guess my suspicions were correct." When he got no reply from his daughter, the Dark One started a new subject._

"_That chatter box you defended today is certainly an interesting choice for a first friend." _

_ "What?" Amara asked with revulsion, dropping the blade of grass and glaring up at her father finally. _

_ "Deny it all you like, dearie, but you just made a friend. I suppose I'm not a failure as a parent after all, hmm?" _

_ Amara sighed. "She's not a friend; she's annoying, needy and chatters like a monkey all day."_

_Rumple just smirked. "Whatever you say" he sing-songed. "Let's get you back into the palace before you try and murder anyone else, shall we?" _

_Amara just grunted, getting up. She wouldn't be a very good friend, she decided. Everyone hated her and it was silly to think she would ever have something close to normalcy, not that she wanted it. _

_ Amara's POV: _

It had been a while since I had last seen Izzy. To tell the truth we _did_ see each other a lot over the years, always meeting at the same creek. That was until Drizella (Bonnie) found out and she saw me less and less, probably ashamed. This reminded me of why I so preferred solitude, it made you unable to be hurt.

"Whatever happened to the other sister, Anastasia?" I asked my father as he polished some of the Boyd (Tremaine) family's trinkets.

"Well after I got dear little Cindy to marry the prince they were even poorer than before without a maid. So Anastasia met a man named Will Scarlet and hopped a portal to Wonderland, where I'm told she became a bloodthirsty queen who enjoyed beheading people and casting spells to keep them alive."

"Hmmp. Lovely." I rolled my eyes.

**10:00 That Night: **

"Mari wake up!" I heard a voice yell with venom. I shot up, not realizing I had fallen asleep on the couch while watching television after I had gone home early. I looked at my father as he struggled inside with a bloody cut on his face.

"What the hell happened to you?" I asked, helping him sit down and ran into the kitchen to wet a rag.

"Oh your friend's sweet stepsister paid me a visit tonight. She broke into the shop and attacked me."

"Wait. Cinderella did _that _to your forehead?" I questioned incredulously handing him the rag.

"Well actually she used pepper spray and I stumbled back into a mirror cutting my forehead."

I couldn't help it. I seriously tried to hold it in . . .

"Are you laughing?" my father growled at my stifled giggles.

"Oh come on. You let a sweet young lady use pepper spray on you and then stumbled back into the mirror. Now you're acting like your some bludgeoned victim of a little girl."

"This _isn't_ funny, Amara Lilian!"

"I know, I know." I tried to suppress my laughter and said with a smirk. "So what did the big bad Cinderella want from our shop, anyhow?"

"What do you think? The adoption deed for her child, which she'll be having soon most likely."

He was right. Time was moving forward now that baby was going to be here within a day or two most likely. "It's the curse isn't it? Emma's changing things more quickly then we assumed she would."

"Oh I have no doubt Miss Swan put the idea in her head to steal the deed and run off with the child. She said something about 'changing her life'. Wonder where she could have gotten that advice from all of a sudden."

I grinned. "Someone's still bitter about getting beat up by a pregnant teenager, aren't they?" I chided.

"Never mind that," he said with a scoff. "Tomorrow we need to get the savior to bring us back the girl and the baby. After all, it's the contract we made."

I nodded. "What do you suggest?"

"Oh don't you worry. Just bring Henry by Ms. Blanchard's place tomorrow after Regina leaves to have her affair with the Sheriff."

I crinkled my nose. "What does Henry have to do with any of this?"

My father smirked. "I have a feeling Emma will feel a bit more . . . inclined to go along with my plan if she has the reminder of her past mistakes with her."

I nodded again, this time with a smile. "Alright, I'll do just that."

As my father left the room and I was alone with the silent sound of the T.V, a wave of unpleasantness came over me.

I only could imagine what Izzy would say _this_ time when she realized we were trying to con her stepsister out of her niece.

**A.N.** _Why do I feel the need to ship Amara and Izzy together? XD_

_Part one of this side story complete. It's amazing how I thought immediately with the episode "the price of gold": this HAS to be a huge part of Amara's character in some way. I thought her having a friend that was her polar opposite and one that kind of abandoned her a lot was a good way to understand why she is the way she is. I enjoy writing this multi-faced character. Also hope no one minded the references to Ouat: in Wonderland. Since this is a two-parter really I'm going to try and get the next one out quicker than usual because I have more of a feeling of where I'm going with it. Until next time farewell! _


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5:

**First person Pov: **

"There you go, Henry," I said placing a grilled cheese sandwich in front of him. Today was Regina's "city council meeting" (date with Graham) so I was watching after him until 5.

He smiled. "Thanks." He started digging into his lunch while I watched Regina apply lipstick to her already gaudy face in the living room mirror.

"So how do I look?" she asked gawking at her own reflection.

"Like a streetwalker ready to go on patrol," I mumbled, sitting down next to Henry.

Regina grimaced. "Don't talk like that in front of Henry," she stated and then turned to her son. "I know you think otherwise, but sometimes these Saturday city council meetings are just unavoidable. You do know the rules correct?"

"No television until I finish my weekend homework and leaving the house is forbidden unless were on fire," he recited perfectly.

Regina smiled at him. "Right." She turned to me with a scowl. "Just make sure he doesn't go anywhere. I don't need these disappearances to become a habit."

"You mean don't see my mom," Henry corrected her and I couldn't help but smile. Despite his being a Charming he really did have my snarkiness.

"She's _not_ your mother; she's just some woman passing through. And we don't need to encourage her little acts of terror." I got a hard, pointed glare.

"I told you, Regina, that chainsaw could have come from anywhere," I coolly stated, looking the queen straight in the eyes.

"Yeah, sure it did." She rolled her eyes and walked to the door with the click-clacking of her heels. "Remember, I'll be back at five sharp." The door slammed loudly behind her.

"I still think it's hilarious how you gave Emma the chainsaw." Henry laughed at the thought and I smirked.

"Yes, well, sometimes we all have to have our apple trees cut down a peg." I glanced at the book he had next to him, the book that up until yesterday had been complete and utter nonsense to me now held the key to everything.

"So how's your father's shop?" Henry asked, referring to Ashley Boyd's break in last night.

"You heard about that?" I asked curiously.

"When your mom's mayor, stuff gets around to you."

Yeah Regina probably had a field day hearing about it.

"Well nothing major you need to worry about was stolen," I assured him. "My father did get a head injury though."

Henry nodded and looked at me curiously as I opened his book up and began flipping through.

"What?" I asked.

"It's just you've never really taken an interest in the book before, today it's like you can't stop reading it."

"It's just this version has such unique spins on the tales, that's all," I said, absent-mindedly looking through all of the pages. I found myself caught by certain pages, surprised because I wasn't an "official" fairy tale character. I kept flipping and stopped when I saw the story:

_Cinderella. _

"You like that story?" Henry asked looking at what page I was on. I nodded flipping until I got to the part with . . .

"Did you know there were actually three stepsisters?" Henry asked. "The youngest isn't in it that much though, I guess she wasn't important." _If only he knew . . . _

"Come on," Henry said standing up from the kitchen chair "Let's go see Emma"

"You think I'm just going to deliberately disobey your mother?" I asked mockingly and Henry laughed. "Let's just make sure we're back with time to spare."

As I closed the book and stopped on the page of Cinderella's step family I smiled.

* * *

"Hey Emma I found . . ." Henry began as we entered the apartment his mother and grandmother were sharing together. That's when I saw my father standing next to Emma as if they were in deep conversation.

"Hey Henry." He smiled and turned to the Emma "Ms. Swan, I assume you know my daughter Amara?"

The Savior's eyes widened. "You're Amara's _father_?" she asked and I could tell exactly what she was thinking: _no wonder this kid turned out to be so screwed up in the head_.

Smirking, I replied, "Actually I'm adopted, but yes he's my father in almost every sense"

"Whatever are you two doing here? I thought you were supposed to be at Regina's while she was at a city council meeting," my father asked, faking innocence.

"Henry wanted to see Ms. Swan and since Regina's not home until five I thought I'd oblige."

"I wish I could but I actually have a job I need to do for your dad," Emma explained putting a jacket on.

"What kind of job?" I asked giving my father a suspicious glance.

"The girl, Ashley Boyd I assume you know she broke into your shop last night," Emma began and I gave her a slow hand motion encouraging her to go on. "Well something important was stolen and your father wants to find her. With that baby on the way I want to make sure she's safe." So that was the plan . . .

"I can come with you!" Henry squeaked, probably happy to go anywhere as long as it was with her.

"If you'd like I can take Mari home until later and we can pretend this never happened," my father explained he gave me a "just go with it" look and I understood.

"Right, I'll let you two have some quality time together," I said before walking towards the door of the apartment.

Emma crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow at me. "You're being awfully kind to me all of a sudden, there some kind of ulterior motive?"

I smiled. "Ms. Swan I would never, ever try and trick you." _I'd just leave out all the important details, but it's definitely not a lie._

Emma shrugged. "Go on, we'll be back by five so you can look like you never left the mayor's house".

Nodding, I followed my father out of the apartment; he had already descended to the bottom of it and was waiting impatiently.

"I must say that getting Emma to do our dirty work for us was pretty ingenious," I stated smugly as we walked to the pawn shop. "However there is one flaw I found. Ms. Swan's need to help teenage public service announcements is what made her take the job. But what will happen if she decides to double cross us once she finds out we went the baby?"

"Oh I don't think that will be an issue dearie, she won't let another accident end up in the foster system. She was one, she believes Henry is suffering because she gave him up, she won't let me press charges."

Nodding, I grumbled, "Well she may play along, but it won't be willingly. I have a feeling that after this our Savior will despise us which means I won't be able to observe her as easily."

"And since when does the demoness care about being liked?" my father asked, smirking as he opened up the glass doors to the pawn shop and letting his daughter enter first.

I didn't even bother dignifying him with a response because I truly didn't care very much about other's liking me but it was slightly cruel to say. My father knew very well the problems trying to get Cinderella's baby had caused me.

* * *

**Third Person Pov:**

_Amara lay on her bed looking over a dusty old spell book with curiosity. There were so many different ways to be in control when using magic, and control was everything to the girl. Vulnerability was a waste of time in her eyes. The current spell she was working on altered memories. When one had the victim inhale it then they forgot who they were and the only reversal was if it got lifted somehow, that could be useful she mused. _

_ A light tapping against glass interrupted her thought process and Amara saw a small gray bird perched on the windowsill of her bedroom. It wasn't a white dove, so it couldn't be Snow White, plus if it were her she would've contacted her father not sent it to her bedroom. No, whoever was contacting her wanted to speak with her specifically. Intrigued she opened the window. Taking the note from the bird's beak, she smiled, stroking its head. "Whoever did send you?" she wondered letting it crawl on her finger and place it on her dresser. After opening the note she read: _

_To Amara: _

_I know it's been a long time since we've talked and I am sorry for that but I have to ask for help with something. The king of our valley is throwing a ball for his son to be married and of course my entire family's going besides Ella. All I want is for her to be happy and well that's where you come in. Is it possible you could send your father to help her be able to go to the ball as well? It would lift a great burden off of my shoulders knowing what I can do something for my step-sister. _

_ -Isobel Tremaine. _

_ Amara looked with disgust at the letter. How dare that little wimp treat her like a disease for such a long time then ask for help when convenient? It made her angry. She was about to write a very strongly worded letter to the girl when her father entered the room._

"_So what secret notes is my daughter getting behind my back? Perhaps you have a secret lover waiting for you to take you away?" he asked chidingly. _

_ "Hardly." Amara rolled her eyes distastefully. "Just a letter from that old acquaintance of mine. Isobel asking for help."_

_ Rumple snatched the letter from her hand and read it with curiosity. "Hmm so she wants to help her dear step sister as repentance for letting her get abused all these years? Well I say we should help her."_

_ The young demoness widened her eyes. "You can't be serious. What could that wench have that could possibly be of value to you?" _

_ "I have a feeling that once I doll her up and send her to the palace the prince will only be too happy to marry her, and you know that happens when two people get married . . ." _

_ "They grow to secretly hate one another and the best of them just learn to tolerate the other?" Amara asked dryly. _

"_Children, dearie, they have children!" Rumple rolled his eyes "And I have a rich lord that is willing to give me an ancient spell book in exchange for a healthy child."_

_ "Great more dusty books I'll have to read," Amara grumbled barely audible. "I'll send Izzy a letter back saying you'll come the night of the ball after she and her family leave." _

_ "Excellent!" Rumple squealed. "Although I do hope you realize dearie this could drive a wedge between you and your little friend." _

"_For the last time she isn't my friend!" the girl growled. Friends didn't just slowly abandon you because of prejudice, especially after you always saved their asses. Getting a piece of paper and a quill the girl sat down at her desk and wrote _

_Dear Isobel: _

_ Of course I'm not bitter about the not hearing from you, I understand completely why you listened to your sister and stayed away from me. I also am more than willing to send my father to assist Ella in going to the ball, why I expect she'll even wind up winning the princes hand in marriage. I understand the guilt you feel over this and I want to help mend your family bond. My father will come the night of the ball after you and your family have all left and will make sure no one interferes with the deal getting made (Don't tell your step sister though the surprise of the grand entrance is always the best part). It would be my pleasure to make sure you and Ella get exactly what's coming to you. _

_-Mari_

_Smiling wickedly, the girl gave the letter to the bird and set it out to go back to its original writer. _

* * *

First person POV:

After we left Emma and Henry to do our dirty work, my father took leave at home while this time I ran the shop (maybe he figured if some crazy teenager ransacked it this time, it'd be me who got attacked. What a guy . . .) Shining what was ironically Cinderella's glass slipper, the door to the shop opened with an enormous force of energy, only made possible by one person no doubt . . .

"SHE'S . . . SHE'S . . .!" A hysterical Danielle screamed, racing into the shop.

"Danielle, wait be careful! I just-"

"Ouch!" Danielle whined as she fell on the floor after skidding across it. Damn, now they'll have shoe marks on them.

"Waxed the floor." I groaned and got up from behind the counter to help the idiot girl up.

"Now tell me what's got you in such a fuss?" I asked, grabbing her by the hands

"SHE'S HAVING THE BABY!" Danielle screeched struggling to hold onto me as if she was on ice "Ashley tried to run away and that new lady in town Emma Swan was apparently tracking her and brought her to the hospital!"

"How do you know all of this?" I asked helping the other girl sit down behind the counter.

"My mother got called by Dr. Whale that Ashley was in labor, but of course she and Bonnie didn't want to do anything about it. I did find out something pretty interesting though." The normally sweet girl's tone took an unusually bitter tone that I had only heard her use once before.

"And what would that be?" Might as well try and put on the innocent act in case what I suspected was wrong . . .

"Your father apparently has the deed to Ashley's baby. That's why she put herself in danger running away in the first place."

"Alright, yes we are collecting the baby and finding it a proper home." I tried to shrug it off.

"Ashley can provide that," Danielle said in a matter of fact manner

That deserved a snort. "Give me a break. She agreed to this and doesn't even want her own child-"

"Who says? I bet your father bullied her into signing that document." Danielle took a deep breath to calm herself. "Look, I know Ashley may seem like she doesn't want to keep the kid but I think deep down she wants to be a mother. Your father shouldn't be forcing her to it if she wants to back out, she should have a choice"

"She made a deal with him, we always honor our agreements."

"'We?'" Danielle mused. "You really are just like him aren't you? Manipulative and heartless."

"You didn't seem to have a problem with who I was when I saved your ass numerous times!" I spat but immediately regretted referencing our past life.

"What?" Danielle asked, clearly surprised at this sudden turn of topic.

"Never mind, the point is Ashley's handing that baby over and it doesn't matter how much you try to persuade me otherwise."

There was a pregnant pause in the room I couldn't even look the girl in the eye. What was the big deal anyway, this kid would be getting a home no matter what.

"Listen," I began actually showing sympathy. "Being adopted is sometimes a great thing, I was adopted after all."

Danielle looked up at me in the eyes her chocolate eyes boring my icy blue ones and I could've sworn she looked just like her sisters. "Yes, and look how well you turned out" with that she exited the shop.

Clenching my jaw I sighed. This girl had the nerve to say things like that to me and still wanted my help? Well I suppose I could. I might be able to help Ashley make another run away without my father knowing, find her long lost prince, hell even rip up the contract. Yes I could do all of those things. So what did I decide to do next?

"Yes?" my father's voice asked, muffled after I hit speed dial on my cellphone.

"Papa, it looks like Ella just went into labor. Let's go and collect what's ours, shall we?"

* * *

**Third person POV:**

_"They're planning on doing what now?" Amara asked, annoyed. Regarding the Cinderella case, the night at the ball had gone smashingly well. Thomas had fallen for the girl almost instantly despite her step-families jealously. Now she was married to him and close to her due date, it was almost time to collect. _

"_I said, dearie, I believe they're going to try and trick me with a magic binding spell somehow, entrapping me in prison for all eternity," Rumple explained holding a piece of paper. _

"_You got all that from one silly note?" his daughter inquired, glancing at the note in question. _

_She didn't pay it much mind though as she practiced archery, by hitting an unflattering etching of Regina some (now dead probably) rebels had made._

"_Bullseye." She grinned after getting it right in her fore head. _

_ "Mari, pay attention," Rumple tisked and the girl obliged by putting the bow and arrow down taking a seat at the grand table. _

"_Alright I get it. You sent a note saying Ella wants to meet with you all of a sudden, and after the reaction she had when you told her we'd be getting her baby, it's very suspicious I agree." _

_ "Exactly, which I why I'm going to need you to devise a little rebuttal just in case." Rumple grinned strumming his fingers together._

_ "On whom, if I may ask?" _

_ "Her prince. If this is a trap I want to make sure they don't get their happily ever after." _

_ "Father, I don't believe they deserve death," Amara said. Rumple himself wasn't surprised because no matter how sadistic she was, death wasn't usually a punishment she'd want to inflect herself. _

_ "No worries, dearie. I want them to suffer for double crossing me. I just need you to think of a way to separate them. That is until the curse gets enacted and they are anyway."_

_ A smile spread on the seventeen year olds lips realizing she'd get to put her studying to the test. "Oh don't worry I have just the thing." _

* * *

_In the garden of the meeting place of the note Amara watched behind bushes. This was indeed a trap set up by Charming, Ella and her prince Thomas. Sighing as her father was hauled into a prison wagon she mumbled, "Great, now I'll have to live in a prison whether they convict me or no."_

_ Thomas who had strayed far to look for anyone who may be assisting the dark one turned around when he felt a light tap on his shoulder. There was a girl with long cloak that looked up at him with shinning blue eyes. Widening his own eyes he uttered, "You're her, aren't you? The daughter I've heard so much about?" He drew his sword which made her chuckle. _

"_Yes and now could you please do me a favor?" she grinned, not waiting for a reply. "Forget." Taking the memory altering spell out of her robe, she gently threw it at Thomas's face, causing him to black out. _

_When he came to only seconds later, he looked queasy and confused. "How are you feeling?" Amara asked, with a fake smile. "I-I'm not sure, I don't even know who I am" _

"_Your names Zachery, you're just a simple farmer who got lost and hit your head somehow causing amnesia. I should probably send you back to your kingdom." _

_ "Oh, um, alright," Thomas muttered, still in a daze._

_Amara grinned brilliantly and she focused on sending on to a kingdom on the other side of the Enchanted Forest and with a puff of purple smoke the prince disappeared. "Well let's hope that was as successful as it looked," she mumbled. _

_ "Amara?" a meek voice asked and Mari whipped her head around to see Isobel hidden behind a tree. _

_ "Izzy, what are you doing here?" _

_ "I came with my step-sister to make sure Rumplestiltskin was brought to justice." _

"_Isn't that nice of her to forgive you after the abuse you let her got through? And let's not forget the fact that once she became a princess she left you all in ruin, just now conveniently asking for your help when she needs it, " Amara drawled sarcastically. _

_ "Have you seen Thomas?" Isobel asked ignoring all the comments as if they were nothing. _

_ "Why no, I believe he just vanished when my father got arrested. Pity isn't it?" Mari gave her the best lip pout she could muster but couldn't hide a smirk. _

_ "You did something didn't you? And you wonder why I think you're a monster!" _

_ Amara tried to hide her wince with an eye roll. "No one has proof I did anything to anyone, so I suggest you look elsewhere for your culprit" _

_ "Why didn't you tell me your father wanted Ella's child?" Isobel asked, changing the subject._

_ "I don't know. Maybe it's because you never asked?" _

_ "Be serious for once in your life, Mari!" _

_ "Oh, alright." Amara stopped smirking and let the hood she was wearing down showing her long silky raven hair tied in a braid. "Yes, my father made a deal to get your sister's baby. Happy now?" _

_ "As a matter of fact, yes. Now he can't get to my niece or nephew anymore." Isobel smiled lightly._

_ "Izzy, Izzy, Izzy." Amara grinned. "If there's one thing you know about my family is that we always collect."_

"_You're right," Izzy stated turning on her heel and walking away. "I suspect we'll be having this argument again in the future," she called leaving Amara in the dark to follow her father to his jailhouse. _

_ Neither one knew how ironic that statement was at the moment. _

* * *

**First person POV: **

Entering the hospital behind my father, we could hear the cries of a newborn babe and a nurse explain to Emma that the baby was a healthy girl. "What lovely news," my father drawled as we circled the blonde woman.

"You two wanted me to chase Ashley down, didn't you? Do the dirty work so you could pressure her into giving her kid up? Well I'm not letting that happen."

"Miss Swan, I can assure you adoption is a fine thing for a child-"

"Yeah, looking at her I can see a perfect example of that." She glared at me "I thought you had a good heart underneath," she practically hissed.

"Oh I do, Miss Swan," I reassured her. "But not when it involves the family business."

"Which is what, exactly? Ruining people's lives?" She turned to my father with a hard look in her eyes. "I'll see to it that Ashley gets to keep that baby no matter what."

"Oh I wouldn't do that if I were you." My father smiled, inching closer to her. "You see, if I don't get my end of the bargain then I could always just press charges against that girl and that child will be going into foster care. You didn't enjoy your time in the system did you Miss Swan?" He grinned viciously.

I thought Emma would be put off by this but smiled. "And if you try anything, I could always dig up some information on _you,_ Mr. Gold. Something tells where there's more to you than just a simple pawnbroker".

My eyes widened, surprised at the fact she was going up against Rumplestiltskin, even if unknowingly.

"I like you, Miss Swan." My father grinned, I suppose if there was one thing he loved it was a challenge. "I admire your confidence, it's rather . . ."

"Charming," I finished, even though I knew she wouldn't get the joke.

"Yes 'Charming' is the word I was looking for." Giving a stare only he could, the Dark One went on. "But I warn you, Miss Swan, you do not want to get into a war with me . . ."

My eyes landed on Henry, who was peeping in the door of the room across form the lobby we were standing in. The door opened when a nurse came out and she let him inside. I caught a glimpse of Ella and her baby girl along with Danielle/Izzy standing next to her smiling.

_And you wonder why I think you're a monster . . . _

_ You're just like him aren't you? Manipulative and heartless . . ._

"Maybe we can reach a compromise," I stated. That got the attention of my father and Emma. "We will let Ashley keep the baby."

"You would do that?" Emma asked, shocked.

"But for a price," I stated causing Emma's expression to drop a little. "You, Miss Swan, owe my father a favor, no matter how grand the task. Is that agreed?"

The savior warred with herself for a second, but, like me, caught a glimpse of Ashley holding her child.

"Deal." She shook both of our hands.

"I suggest you make sure your son doesn't realize exactly how that baby came out of Ashley." I grinned as I entered the room and placed my hand on Henry's shoulder. "Come on kid, your mom will be back soon".

"Wait!" Ella called out stopping me. "Your father isn't going to take the baby away?" she asked meekly.

"No, he isn't," Emma answered. "I talked to the both of them and handled it."

I almost laughed at the fact that she wasn't pissing her pants, but there was no way without my intervening Ashley would have gotten to keep her daughter.

"Amara helped a lot too," she added with a smile.

"She did?" Izzy asked, quirking an eyebrow. Not dignifying it with a response, I grabbed Henry by the hand and led him out of the room. "Not a word of this to your mother" I warned as we headed towards the exit.

"Wait!" A voice stopped us and Izzy was standing there, looking a bit embarrassed.

"Can I help you?" I asked sharply.

"I just wanted to thank you for the help, I didn't think you had it in you." She smiled and turned on her heel back to her step-sister's bedside.

It wasn't until we entered his house did Henry comment on this.

"She's right you know," Henry told me after a long time of silence. "You may be cruel at times, but you do have a heart."

"Of course I do, Henry, everyone does. We need them to survive, of course in that world within your book you can actually take them out and still live. It's a good method of controlling people." I smirked and Henry giggled.

"Wicked cool," he commented in the way only a 10 year old boy could.

The front door opened again and Regina stepped in, smiling. Her hair was mused, lipstick badly reapplied and looked far too happy for someone just coming out of a city council meeting.

"I trust you had a good day," she commented, tapping Henry on the nose as he worked on weekend homework at the kitchen table slyly. "Yes we did"

She turned to me with a dark grimace. "I assume you didn't let him run amuck and kept him in the house?"

"I can assure you Madame Mayor; we had a rather dull day"

"Yeah we didn't really do much at all," Henry added, pretending to solve math equations.

I let out a sigh sitting on her couch to put the television on before she turned it off.

"You're no longer needed here. I suggest you go home."

Rolling my eyes I got up and winked at Henry before opening the door.

The last thing I heard before shutting the door was, "Hey mom, what's a streetwalker, by the way, and why do you look like one?"

Grinning I walked over to the pawn shop to close it down for the day (we controlled our own hours, not that anyone cared) and remembered something.

The silver looking pair of glass slippers we gave Ella for the ball were still out, many here I assumed thought they were some kind of well-made replica.

"Glass shoes, what a silly yet memorable detail," I mused putting them safely away in the back next to countless other objects that formerly belonged to Enchanted Forest residents.

A.N. _So um yes been a long time since I've updated but I'm happy to report that I made this chapter extra-long and full of content for you! Basically I've been in a musical and haven't had the time or the energy to write until I realized that I want to get this story moving and had to work. I liked this chapter it shows the two different sides to Mari as well as showing Izzy isn't all smiles and rainbows. Also I may have Amara interchange storybrooke and enchanted forest names for now because I feel that's how a person would react to finding out people have two separate identities. Finally discovered how to do the line break as well i'm going to try and separate all of the time changes ans flashbacks, let me know if i went a little overboard with it. Until next time my lovelies! _

_ (also random question I don't want to spoil the story but what character do you think I'll be shipping with Mari eventually? The only one not allowed to answer is people who already know like my BETA. I wanna see if I made it obvious or not) _


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: _This chapter is probably going to be short and almost all first person because there won't be flashbacks this chapter. _

_**First Person P.O.V: **_

_So it was only logical to assume given the evidence shown that Madame Bernellay was murdered by . . ._

"Hey, you're Amara right?" a meek voice mumbled to me. My reality was pulled back from a fascinating murder mystery novel to Granny's diner, where I was indulging in a soda with a side of french fries. Not the most dignified thing to eat but I had a certain weakness for the fried foods of this land. It was a treat to just sit and be alone without anyone badgering me. Well usually that is . . .

"Who wants to know?" Lowering the book I was holding my breath a bit while reading, I glowered at Jake Erison. Also known as William the "Boy Who Cried Wolf" back in our world. Here he was just a punk skater boy who worked in a music store his father ran.

"I wasn't bothering you, was I?" he asked sheepishly.

"Oh no," I droned "I was just about to find out the mystery to who killed the main character in my book but I can read that anytime."

"Well technically you can I mean it's a book . . ."

"What do you want, Jake?" I snapped picking up the last of my french fries and devouring it.

"Well you're friends with Isobel Boyd, right?" Without bothering to ask, he took a seat next to me.

"Define 'friend'."

"Well, if someone wanted to know what she liked about someone . . ." he began with small grin on his face that was starting to blush bright red.

"I'm not being your wing girl."

I pushed my book back up to my face extremely grateful to my father for not enrolling me in a high school here. The teenagers in this world didn't usually have to help their family work for a living and marry early. So they spent adolescence riling in stupidity, some never recovered.

"Give me one good reason why not," Jake whined taking the book down from my face.

"Okay one: She doesn't talk to me that much anymore, two: she already has a boyfriend, three: you're more than capable of doing things for yourself, and four—" I tapped my chin quizzically. "Oh right: I just don't want to."

"Come on, you know she'd be better off dating me than that complete asshole Richard she's going out with. You could just talk to her, what do you say to that?"

Taking a huge sip of my finished soda and sucking in all the air with a straw, letting an unpleasant hiss come out, Jake got an uncomfortable look on his face until I finally stopped.

"That answer your question?" I asked with faux sweetness, dropping my smile to a grimace as I rose from the table and put my black jacket on.

A dart whizzed across the room past me towards Emma and hit the front door, missing her face by inches.

"What the hell you could've hit me!" she shouted incredulously at Graham, who had been the thrower.

"I never miss," the sheriff reassured her. There was something about him that was definitely off and it wasn't just the enormous amounts of alcohol he'd consumed. The two had been fighting on and off again ever since he had hired her as deputy.

As the two got into yet another heated debate I turned my attention back to Jake.

"Look," I began. "I get that you like Izzy, and to be fair you'd definitely be better for her than Richard. But just talk to her yourself. Believe me I wouldn't know the first thing about sentimental garbage." I handed Ruby the payment for my food and walked to the door.

Jake looked like he was about to argue with me from across the diner when Granny called out, "Jake your orders ready!"

I darted out of the place while his attention was diverted. Walking the streets I caught a glimpse of Graham as he grabbed Emma and embraced her in a passionate kiss.

Regina was seriously going to love that, I thought smirking.

Emma pushed Graham away then stalked over to me. "Hey Mari," she mumbled exasperated and I gave her a small wave.

"Deputy," I greeted her.

"I thought you'd be, um, babysitting Henry or something. Not at the diner this late."

"It's my night off. Ever since that mine field incident Regina's been staying home usually," I explained as we walked in the cold, damp night. "So I suppose this means you're interested in something else of our mayor's now hhmph?" I asked with a sly grin.

"No I am not," she hissed. "And you knew about them too? God, has everyone in this town just been laughing at me behind my back?"

"No not everyone knows about those two but I would stay away from him. I don't think that lip lock's going to make Regina treat you anymore kindly."

"So who was that boy you were talking to? He seems nice" Emma asked, changing the subject.

"If you're implying what I think you're implying Ms. Swan you're either as drunk as Graham or have forgotten who you're speaking to," I snapped and Emma laughed.

"Oh, right. Because that would make you a normal flesh and blood teenager and we can't have any of that."

After I realized she was walking past her apartment building and making the turn to my house, I glanced at her. "Are you following me?" I asked irritated

"You bet I am. This town may be small but I wouldn't feel much like a sheriff's deputy letting a teenage girl I knew walk this far by herself."

Rolling my eyes, I chuckled. "Yes because if there's one thing you should have learned by now is that _I'm _the one who needs protection."

After a while of silence Emma piped up, "So what do you think I should do about Graham?" she asked politely.

I laughed. "Why does everyone think I can solve relationship problems? It's ridiculous."

"Is that what the boy wanted from you, help asking someone else out?"

"If you really must pry, yes, that girl Izzy who you met in the hospital."

"Right, Ashley's step-sister." Emma nodded. "So you have no interest in ever falling in love?"

"About as much interest in it as getting a surgery I don't need."

"That cynical, huh? Guess I shouldn't talk, I am too. It's just . . ."

"You're interested in Graham," I finished for her. "You know Miss Swan, I could care less about your love life but here's my advice since you asked for it: to hell with Regina and do whatever you want to do."

"You just want me to get her pissed, don't you?" Emma asked, shaking her head.

"You know me too well deputy." I laughed as we approached my house and she patted me on the shoulder.

"We're here now, night."

As I walked up the stairs, Emma called, "Oh and Amara, thanks for the advice." I nodded back to her as she disappeared down the driveway.

I noticed my father standing at the doorway. "You know you could ask me to drive you home."

"Walking is a good way to clear my head," I droned, stalking up the staircase. "Oh and I'd keep an eye on our huntsman. There's something off about him lately."

"Yes well, being Regina's love slave and drinking too much will do that to a person," my father chided sitting down the on our couch turning the television on.

"Very true," I chuckled. "But no. What I mean is he's spacing out, and defying Regina which he hasn't done before at least to my knowledge," I told my father.

"Alright I'll keep an eye on him. Maybe do a little digging to see if his curse is breaking for some reason," he agreed.

Nodding, I went upstairs and went into the bathroom washing my face. Today I'd been asked to give romantic advice to not one, but two people and lived in a town where once the curse was broken my employer would like nothing more than to rip my heart out and stomp on it (quite literally) as punishment for doing so.

I hope my father had a game plan to find Baelfire and get us as far away from Regina as possible.

* * *

"When is this ever going to help me in life?" Henry complained looking about ready to throw his math book in the fire place. Sitting in the kitchen while I was in the living room flipping through channels must have made him burn with anger.

"It's not but it's schoolwork so do it or I'm going to tell your mother about the time you broke her most expensive vase," I called to him, smirking as I munched on popcorn.

The doorbell rang and I got up, answering it. Graham was standing there looking distraught.

"Sheriff," I greeted leaning back on the door and crossing my arms "Regina's not here at the moment. Plus it's the daytime so I don't think even she's in the mood right now."

"I need to see Henry." Graham, noticing my puzzled look, explained, "It's about the book he has. I know it sounds weird but will you please let me in?"

Giving him a gesture with my head to enter I called out, "Henry, someone's here to see you!"

Henry looked up from his homework and looked curiously. "Graham." He smiled. "What can I do for you?"

When the sheriff explained that he wanted to see Henry's book and the wolf he kept having visions of, we gathered around the kitchen table and Henry flipped through the book.

"So it was a wolf you saw?" he asked and stopped at a page with an elegantly drawn but fearsome wolf. "This wolf is a spirit that guided men who deserved it and showed compassion to others, when they were lost in the woods he saved even hunters," he read the page. "Does this look like the wolf you keep seeing?"

"Yes! It's most definitely the wolf I saw when I kissed Emma."

"You kissed my mom?" Henry asked cringing "That's gross!"

Choosing to miss the golden opportunity to point out he'd kissed both of his mothers, I interrupted. "Not that this isn't all fascinating, but what's the point?"

"The point is that the wolf isn't something you should be afraid of. Graham it's a guide and is trying to help," Henry explained, grinning with triumph at solving the case and making another believer.

"Then I should follow it and see what it wants, maybe it's trying to tell me something." Graham nodded and started to rise from the table before Henry pushed him back down.

"Wait!" he piped up. "I believe this entire thing with the wolf also means something else." He showed us a picture of a fierce warrior with a knife in his hands that covered most of his face. "You're the huntsman from Snow White. The reason you have such a connection to Mary Margaret is because that's who she is and you've spared her life, and after that the evil queen ripped your heart out and kept in in a vault." Graham looked at that moment as if this piece of information was a huge realization to him. "It's probably also why you have a . . ." He grimaced, shuddering. "Connection with Emma. Because without you, she wouldn't have been born."

"Is there anything besides the wolf I should look out for?" Graham asked.

"Well if you're from Snow White and spared her life, I'd keep a watch out for the Evil Queen." I spoke up. "She'd be out to kill you after all."

"And who's the evil queen?" Graham asked curiously.

"My mom, well the other mom. The one who adopted me," Henry explained.

"Regina? Well that would . . ."

"Explain everything I know." I laughed and grabbed Graham by the arm. "Really, Sheriff, this history lesson has been quite a lark. We really must do it again sometime but now I think you should be looking for your wolf don't you?" I asked sarcastically pulling him towards the door as he glanced back at Henry.

"Thanks for the help Henry," he said gratefully. "Now I have a feeling I know what I'm doing."

"Goodbye," I snapped, slamming the door behind me which surprised Henry.

"What did you kick him out for?" he demanded.

"Well if he's who you say he is then not only did he defy your mother in the past which got him his heart ripped out, but is also now in love with Emma then I don't want to be around any of them when_ that _little ordeal takes place."

Henry nodded with understanding as the front door opened and Regina stepped in.

"Hello, Henry." She smiled brilliantly at him as she gently stroked his face. "How was your day today?"

"It was fine," he said with the same deadpan voice he usually gave his mother. "Can Mari stay for diner?" he asked with a smile.

Regina directed her attention towards me with a grimace. "I'm sure Amara wants to get home to _own_ family," she grunted.

"I don't exactly have any plans." I put on a fake sweet smile. "I'd be delighted to stay."

Regina looked between the both of us before she let out a defeated sigh. "I'll make an extra batch of lasagna." She groaned and I giggled at her displeasure.

* * *

**Third Person P.O.V: **

"Regina, there's a lot that can be said about you but saying you don't make a damn good lasagna would be a lie," Amara commented causing Regina to roll her eyes.

"Yes well I suppose as mayor I should feed the less fortunate every once and a while," she spat rising from the table and grabbing her and Henry's empty dishes ."Henry, go up to your room and get ready for bed," Regina instructed, heading towards the kitchen to clean the dishes.

"But it's still so early . . ." Henry whined crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"I said go to bed, so go to bed!" Regina tried to hide the annoyance in her voice but it did cause her son to shudder.

"Okay, I'm going!" He rose from his seat and smiled at his baby sitter. "Night, Marshmallow."

"Sweet dreams." Amara watched as he ran up the stairs and waited until she heard his bedroom door close before crossing her arms and sauntering over to Regina who was placing dishes in the dishwasher.

"I trust you can walk yourself out," the mayor asked bitterly.

"Oh I plan on it believe me." Amara went over to the counter and watched Regina place dishes back in her cabinet. "So what do you plan to do about the Graham situation?"

Regina stopped what she was doing and gave the girl a surprised look before hardening her glare. "There is no problem dear, Graham is mine as he has been for a _long _time." she grinned remembering her own wickedness.

"Is he now? Because you're not an idiot Regina. You know very well our new little friend has been tearing him away from you."

Regina looked worried for a second then continued placing dishes in her cabinet. "I wouldn't be worried about Miss Swan too much. She will be out of this town before long and everything will be the same."

"You mean with Henry still ignoring you and having only me for support?" Amara spat.

"You are_ not_ his family, you would do well to remember that!" Regina yelled. Despite the anger, she quickly managed to compose herself, fixing Amara under her cold gaze. "Is there a point you wanted to make, young lady?"

"As a matter of act there is: Graham is slowly remembering who he is. You're losing control your majesty," Amara hissed the formal title. "You know when you start to lose control over everything you have a grip on it just crack . . ."

Regina, as if fate wanted to prove the girls point, dropped a dish on the floor causing it to shatter.

Amara tisked. "See what I mean? Perhaps you need to punish someone . . . in that special way only you can." She emphasized the _special way only you can part_.

Regina who was picking up the shattered pieces and looking to the point of a breakdown took a deep breath and turned to the girl with a grin. "You know, I think you're right. Amara, would you mind watching the house for a little bit? I think a visit to my dearly departed father's grave is in order," she sauntered out of the house, leaving Amara to sigh.

"I really am like him aren't I?" she whispered with a mix of horror and . . . relief that she would probably please him by taking after him.

* * *

Regina flew the door to her mansion open with a triumphant look in her eyes but there were smudge marks around them as well as if she'd bene crying for a bit, much to a certain teenagers surprise.

"So, did you do what I think you did?" Amara asked from the couch where she was flipping through channels.

"Yes, it had to be done. Pets that disobey their masters must be put down." Regina explained and grabbed the remote from Amara, shutting the television off. "You know I should thank you. You gave me the courage to do what needed to be done."

Amara shifted conformably under Regina's sadistic smile. "Nonsense. You would've done it anyway and you know it."

"That's not the point. You're really the spitting image of the man who raised you. A no good manipulator."

"How dare you make judgments against me you hypocritical, lying piece of…"

"You're looking rather pale dear" Regina interrupted with faux concern "I do believe that's guilt in your eyes, don't worry it'll go away once you wash your hands in more blood" the Queen smirked enjoying the look of horror the girl briefly got on her face.

"I have to take my leave now _Madame Mayor_. Have a pleasant night knowing you killed an innocent man." She walked to the door and almost was out before Regina commented,

"And you have a nice night knowing you insinuated that I do so." She grinned brilliantly as Amara slammed the door shut. After all the guilt and torture her father had put her through, she was only happy to give the same treatment to that little brat.

Well the demoness certainly wouldn't be getting any sleep tonight.

_ Sorry I haven't updated in a while I was sick for a long time after an operation and haven't had the inspiration to write until recently so let's hope I can keep on track even with school. Anyway got to love Amara's double agent work XD she's insane but pretty awesome still. And if case any of you didn't get it by the cover photo she's played by Isabelle Fuhrman (Clove in the Hunger Games and Esther in Orphan) I thought she'd be perfect. Sayonara until next time! _


End file.
